Village Support Services

Unit 3, Tram Road, Pontllanfraith, Blackwood NP12 2LA
Tel: 01443 879677
Email: kathryn.stanford@villagesupportservices.co.uk

Contract Monitoring Report

Name of Provider: Village Support Services
Date of Visit: 16 March 2023
Visiting Officers: Ceri Williams - Contract Monitoring Officer CCBC
Present: Kathryn Stanford, Registered Manager

Background

Village Support Services has been a registered provider of Domiciliary Care services with Caerphilly County Borough council since 2005. The company was awarded their current domiciliary care contract in 2011, following a tender process.

The range of care and support tasks undertaken by Village Support include personal care (e.g. assistance in bathing, washing, dressing, medication, using the toilet), nutritional care (e.g. assistance with eating and drinking, food and drink preparation, and food and drink intake monitoring), mobility care (e.g. assistance with getting in and out of bed, general movement), and domestic care (e.g. assistance with cleaning, shopping, other housework, arranging appointments).

Dependent on the findings within the report, the provider will be given corrective and developmental actions to complete. Corrective actions are those which must be completed (as governed by the contract, legislation etc), and developmental actions are good practice recommendations.

Previous Actions

As this was the first monitoring visit since the Covid-19 pandemic, previous actions were not taken into account.

Care & Service Planning Process

Two files of individuals receiving a domiciliary care service from Village Support Services were seen during the monitoring visit. Individuals details are now kept electronically at the office while a paper file is kept at the individuals home for care staff to access.

Village Support Services have a comprehensive initial assessment process. When a new package is accepted an initial assessment, personal plan and risk assessment is created based on the information from the CCBC care and support plan. A file is created which also includes client guide and daily care diary and placed at the clients home. Within two weeks of the package starting the client manager will undertake an initial review with the individual receiving care and support.

Personal Plans viewed contained all care and support needs identified in the CCBC care & support plan. One personal plan contained instructions to carers regarding medication that had not been identified on the CCBC care and support plan. A discussion was held with the registered manager that only support identified by the local authority should be provided and, if a new need had been identified, then contact should be made with the relevant Social Services department to discuss and if appropriate added to the care plan.

The two personal plans viewed were both signed by the provider but only one was signed by the individual receiving care or their representatives.

The layout of the personal plan was a list of tasks all to be completed by care staff during a call. Whilst this was clear and instructive for care staff to follow it could be more person centred and include personal preferences and routines.

Evidence of reviews were available for both clients, one client was relatively new client and had received a review within the timescales stipulated by regulations. While there was evidence of reviews for the second client these were not within the regularity of every 3 months as required.

Reviews are carried out with the involvement of the person receiving the service. They included elements of quality assurance regarding the service they receive and the staff that support them. More evidence is needed within the review documentation that the personal plan and any associated risk assessments are also reviewed with the client and, are still relevant, or whether any changes are required.

The provider does not use a separate life history document, but one section of the service deliver plan is titled ‘About Me’ and this is intended to capture personalised information, likes and dislikes and life history. These had been completed briefly on the files seen.

Daily record diaries were viewed for both packages. Records were completed to a good standard and included details of all tasks completed during care calls, the individuals well-being and were signed and dated with times recorded.

Electronic call monitoring logs were viewed for the two individuals receiving a service. Call times were consistent and evidenced that staff were staying for the correct length of time allocated for calls.

Continuity of support workers was excellent for one of the packages with only three carers visiting over a two week period. The second package was slightly over the carer continuity threshold however, it is acknowledged that this is a large package of care and requires two support workers at each call.

The provider use a software package called Web Roster for planning and monitoring of care calls. There is a message system built into the software package where information can be communicated to carers regarding any changes or updates to care planning or rota’s. The messaging system also allows the user to check if the message has been read by support staff.

The system is monitored by office staff during office hours and will alert staff when a call has not been logged into by care staff an hour after the scheduled call time. Contact is then made with care staff to as soon as possible to ascertain the reason for not logging into the call.

The call monitoring system is monitored out of office hours by senior care staff with senior management available as back up if necessary.

Recruitment Training & Supervision

Two staff files were viewed at the visit. Information is now kept digitally.

Both staff files contained two references, application forms, interview records and forms of identification required.

Only one of the staff files contained a signed contract of employment and job description.

Disclosure Barring Certificates are checked by the provider and record is kept on file that the staff member has a certificate, the expiry date and checks are carried out on the update service annually.

All new staff receive an induction held at the providers office before commencing care calls in the community. This includes induction to the company and also training following the All Wales Induction Framework.

A training matrix was provided and evidenced that all staff had received training in mandatory courses. Some staff are overdue refresher training in mandatory courses.

There were some training courses not evidenced on the training matrix, which are required to be undertaken as per the CCBC contract, the manager advised that staff do undertake courses in Food Hygiene, Infection Control and Dementia awareness using an online method of training however, this was not evidenced on the training matrix.

Most staff had received supervision with a senior member of staff within the last three months, with a small amount of staff overdue for supervision.

Annual appraisals for staff were also mostly up to date with a small number of staff overdue for annual appraisals.

As well as supervision and annual appraisals the provider also use six monthly spot checks to observe carers competencies whilst carrying out care and support tasks in the community.

Records of spot checks viewed were comprehensive and included a range of aspects such as punctuality, uniform, standard of work, standard of recording, infection control and communication.

There was no evidence of regular staff meetings taking place, at least six times a year, as required in regulations.

Quality Assurance

Copies of the Responsible Individuals (RI) quarterly reports were provided to the Contract Monitoring Officer. They included evidence that the RI had consulted with staff and individuals who receive a service.

While the R.I. reports contained the necessary feedback to monitor the performance of the service provided as set out in regulations, they were not being completed within the necessary timeframes of at least every three months.

A comprehensive Quality Assurance Report was provided to the contract monitoring officer. The results were excellent regarding feedback from clients and staff.

While the report contained all the information required to assess, monitor and improve the quality and the safety of the service, it was not being completed within the necessary timeframes of at least every six months.

Three clients were contacted by the contract monitoring officer for feedback regarding the service they receive.

All confirmed that they have no concerns regarding the care they receive or the staff that support them. They described care staff as very supportive and knowledgeable and all stated that they have regular care staff.

Corrective / Developmental Actions

Corrective Actions

Personal Plans to only include care and support needs identified by the local authority care & support plan. (Regulation 15, RISCA).

Timescale: Immediately and ongoing.

Personal Plans to be signed by the individual or their representative to evidence they have been involved in the co-production of the plan. (Reg 15, RISCA).

Timescale: Immediately and ongoing.

Personal Plans to be reviewed as and when required but at least every three months. (Reg 16, RISCA).

Timescale: Immediately and ongoing.

Personal Plans and risk assessments are reviewed and amended to reflect changes in the individuals care and support needs and personal outcomes. (Reg 16, RISCA).

Timescale: Immediately and ongoing.

Village Support to ensure that contracts of employment are in place for all staff, signed by the member of staff and the employer. (Reg 42 RISCA).

Timescale: Within 3 months of the date of the report.

Staff to be up to date with mandatory refresher training courses. (Reg 36 RISCA).

Timescale: Within 3 months of the date of the report.

The provider to maintain a record to include all training undertaken by staff. (Reg 36 RISCA).

Timescale: Within 3 months of the date of the report.

Staff meet for one to one supervision with their line manager or equivalent officer, or a more senior member of staff, no less than quarterly. (Reg 36 RISCA).